Tobacco transplanter



Dec. 29, 1 931. H, B, DATTlSMAN 1,838,535

TOBACCO TRANSPLANTER Filed Aug. 9, 1928 arm "e1 Patented Dec. 29, 1931 curren STATES PATENTO FFICE HARRY B. DATTISMAN, OF LANDISVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA TOBACCO rmnsrrisn'rnn Application filed August 9.

' tion is to provide such implements with im-,

proved pressure plates designed toforce the soil into the furrow, and build the same up into a hill or ridge as the planter passes over the ground.

Pressure plateshave been used for many. years in connection with planters ortransplanters, and such plates are of many types. These plates are usually made of ordinary steel. As the plates rust, this interferes with i the operation of the machine. Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to eliminate this disadvantage, and to this end, I form the plates of phosphor bronze, and I have found that this overcomes the difficulty.

The pressure plates heretofore used, have been provided with lugs which are used in connecting the plates to supporting arms or the like. These lugs are riveted to the plates, and each lug has a closed slot to receive one of the bolts employed in securing the plate to one of said arms. In case of breakage, of. either one of the bolts, the broken part cannot be renewed without cutting the rivets and taking oi the entire lug. Another object of this invention is to overcome this difficulty, and to accomplish this, I provide each pressure-plate with a pair of lugs that are cast with, and form an integral part of the plate, and each lug has an open ended slot to facilitate adjustment or replacement of bolts or the like.

One form of pressure plate heretofore pro. posed, has been of special arc-shape transversely from its front to its rear end, and another object of the invention is to so shape such plates that the arc willgradually de crease in radius from the front to the rear end of the plate, inorder that the rear upper portion of the plate may be somewhat higher than the same portion of the plate heretofore known. This permits better and higher rolls or hills for the plants.

With the forego ng objects outlined, and

with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention 1928. Serial No. 298,550.

consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the ap pended claim. I

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a'perspective View of a portion of a planterprovided my improved pressure plates.

Fig. 2 is'a similar view taken from'a somep p what diflerentangle. j I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pair of pressure plates showing the same detached from the machine.

' Fig.4 is aperspective view of one ofthe v I 7 plate lugs. p

4 Fig. 5 is'a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. a

- In the drawings, 1 indicates the lower portion of a known type of tobacco planter which is provided with a lever2, that is pivotally connected by means not shown, to theframe of the planter. This lever carries pintles 3 on which armse are hinged. The rear end of each arm connected by a coiled spring 5 to the rear portion of the lever 2, and the spring tends to pull the arm up against an adjusting screw 6, which passes through a nut 7 fixed to the lever 2, and abuts at its lower end against a socket 8 which has a lock screw 9 for use in securing the screw Gin position. e

The arms 4 are provided at their rear ends with boltslO which are usually employed in securing pressure plates to the machine. As before stated, improvedpressure plates form the subject matter of the present invention.

Each of these pressure plates 11 is formed of'a phosphor bronze casting,;and is of are shape transversely, with the radius of the 4 are gradually decreasing toward the rear end of the plate, with the view of raising the .rear portions 12 of the plates, about of an inch higher than they have been heretofore. 7

Each of the new plates has cast therewith a pair of lugs 13, forming chambers 14, which have open ended slots 15 in their upper walls; the .slots receiving the shanks of the bolts 10, and the pockets or chambers receiving the heads of said bolts. It is obvious that When the nuts on the bolts are loosened, the pressure plates may be simply and quickly adj usted transversely, and that in case of breakage of a bolt, either pressure plate and its bolts may be readily removed or replaced.

In the operation of the machine, it is drawn by horses or the like in the direction of the arrow 16, (Fig. 1), and as it moves over the soil, the blade or plow 17 Will open up a furrow in theyusual manner. The operator riding on the machine, will insert the root 7 ends of the plants in the furrow as the machine moves along, and in doing this, he will insert the same through the slot 18, formed between the pressure plates. As the machine moves forwardly, the earth that has been pushed aside by the plow 1?, Will .be pushed back into the furrow by the pressure plates 11, and due to the shapefof these plates, the soil .Will be rolled toward the high points 12 and after the machine has passed, the hill Will be somewhat higher than that heretofore formed.

As each pressure plate is formed of phosphor bronze, it is apparent that it will last indefinitely, and Will not rust, and this will facilitate the Working of the machine.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of .the invention may be readily understood and 1 am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, Without departing from the spirit of ,the invention, as expressed in the following claim. V

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a tobacco planter in cluding supporting arms provided With bolts, of a pair ,of cast metal pressure plates arranged with the adjacent lon itudinal edges separated to provide an intervening slot, and a pair of cast metal lugson each plate having undercut and open ended slots therein receiving said bolts, said slots being opened at the end opposite the longitudinal edges of the plates.

HARRY B. DATTISMAN. 

